My boyfriend and I took my Mum and Dad (both in their sixties) to Orkney for a short break to celebrate my Dad's birthday. We had a mad internet search for a B&B and after discovering that Orkney leisure industry starts to shut down in September had a lucky break when we secured two rooms at The Creel. And we mean a lucky break!

Originally we were relieved that we had found ANYTHING and I even had a back up lined up for night two should it not be to our liking (the website doesn't really do it justice) BUT we confirmed for our second night almost as soon as we walked in.

Each room was spacious, warm, airy and wonderfully clean (we had Number 1 with a double and a single bed, M & D were in number 2 with a double bed - no i don't feel bad the boyfriend is very tall and a starfish sleeper) and each had a double window view out to sea - lovely.

Joyce and Alan were perfectly accommodating and strike the balance perfectly between welcoming and intrusive - they left us to ourselves but nothing was too much trouble. Night one the restaurant was closed (like I said Orkney winding down in September) but Joyce sorted us a bottle of wine, lovely homemade bread and olives before we went off to the (crappy) Sands for dinner. Night two was a different matter...

The food - ah the food! We had no idea that we were staying at such a good restaurant, and as total foodies this made us nearly cry with joy. My dad doesn't eat shellfish but had a mutton pie that he inhaled for a starter then the boys both had Orkney beef three ways which was melt in the mouth. The girls went for soused, tartare and smoked fish trio starter and then I had monkfish with pork belly and the mum had the scallops - A. MAY. ZING.

We gave Alan candles for Dad in the morning asking him to put them in his pudding but he made him a cake! And it was yum! And the puddings were lovely too (have the chefs special - dee-lish!)

Breakfasts followed a similar tack with steamed kippers, smoked fish risotto, and a delicious scottish breakfast (fabulous bacon and tomatoes) consumed by various across the two mornings, homemade tea bread and jams rounding it all off nicely.

It's not the cheapest by an Orkney mile but it's well, well worth the price. The word on the street is that they may be selling up (the street being an estate agents in Kirkwall) but as this is Orkney that may take some time so GET THERE WHILE YOU CAN